Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi, the mother of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, is on her way to New York and issued an emotional plea for justice following the fatal shooting of her son in the Bronx, vowing to ensure those responsible are brought to book.
“I want justice for my son, that is all,” the grieving mother said before departing for the United States on Wednesday, November 4, six days after her son was shot dead.
She disclosed that Javits had dreams of becoming a medical doctor, describing the killing as the loss of a young life with a promising future.
The 15-year-old was fatally shot on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while walking to school in the Claremont neighbourhood. Police say he was shot shortly before 9:30 a.m. near East 171st Street and Third Avenue as he made his way to DreamYard Preparatory School. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators disclosed that three people wearing hooded clothing and surgical masks were in the area before Javits arrived. Police say the teenager attempted to flee when the individuals approached him, but they chased him and shot him. The suspects reportedly returned to collect their shell casings before escaping through a nearby subway station, boarding a southbound No. 5 train.
Motive and search for suspects
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters on Monday, November 2, that detectives were weighing three possibilities: a robbery, mistaken identity involving a rival gang, and bullying at school. Police have not indicated which line of inquiry they favour, and investigators have found nothing linking the boy to a gang.
Asked about the bullying claim, Kenny said it was one aspect being looked at. He described a teenager deeply absorbed in his studies. “He would come home, do his homework, and then he would jump on his phone periodically. But he was very, very into his schoolwork,” Kenny said.
A dispute has also emerged over the release of the school’s bullying records. Kenny stated that the city’s Department of Education would not release information without a subpoena, though the department later said it had cooperated and handed over everything police requested.
Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, previously told the press that the school principal phoned him two days before the shooting to say two boys had fought with his son and been suspended. He believes the incident is linked to the killing, though police have not established any link.
Detectives are searching for three suspects believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. As of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been made, and the NYPD has asked anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-577-TIPS.
Community mourning
The mother travelled ahead of her son’s funeral, though no date or venue has been made public.
Meanwhile, a memorial of candles and flowers continues to grow at the spot where Javits fell. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson visited the site and posted photographs on X on Tuesday, writing: “Javits was our son. A son of Ghana, a son to his parents. This is personal.” She also pointed to the ease of accessing firearms, stating: “The over-saturation of guns is enormous. It’s too easy to get a weapon.”
Source: graphkic.com.gh
Related Posts
